Hospital staff dispute

The General Workers' Union's public service sector has registered an industrial dispute at St Luke's Hospital.

The union said hospital director Martin Farrugia failed to honour an agreement on security guards and hospital auxiliaries.

Last month the section met Mr Farrugia and the two parties agreed to solve pending problems about uniforms, extra duty outside St Luke's and the allocation of duties within the hospital, the union said.

It was also agreed at a meeting in mid-November, that by the end of that month, issues relating to hospital auxiliaries - including the movement of people from ward to ward and the relieving system - should be resolved.

However, the union said, none of the issues were resolved and this had pushed the union to register an industrial dispute.

When contacted Mr Farrugia said the two issues were being tackled. He said security guards' uniforms had been ordered and most of the uniforms had already been delivered and distributed. Security guards are given a summer and winter uniform every year.

With regard to cleaners, Mr Farrugia said management was doing its utmost to minimise the need for cleaners to move from ward to ward. However, he added, the management had a right to do this since cleaners received compensation for moving from one ward to another.